End structure for cables used in blasting operations



y 1956 F. PALAGIANO 2,755,400

END STRUCTURE FOR CABLES USED IN BLASTING OPERATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1952 TING INVENTOR RANK PALAcs/ANO,

ATTORNEYS July 24, 1956 F. PALAGIANO END STRUCTURE FOR CABLES USED IN BLASTING OPERATIONS Filed July 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR .FkANK FALAG/ANO ATTORNEY$ United States Patent END- STRUCTURE FOR CABLES USED IN BLASTING OPERATIONS This invention relates to an end structure for electric cables and is eminently suitable for use in blasting operations such as are employed in coal mines for disrupting and-dislodging the burden from the coal seam. Such operations commonly involve the use of an explosive charge inserted'into the body of the coal seam and ignited by the action of an electrically fired fuse known as a blasting cap.

A substantial length of electric cable, such as 100 or more feet is usually employed to convey current from a source of supply to the blasting cap in order that the operator may be stationed at a safe distance from the point of explosion. In the operation of laying out the cable on the floor of the entry from the face of the seam to the point of connection with a source of electric current with one end thereof connected to the cap, there is danger of electric current accidentally entering the cable resulting, in premature explosion of the charge. During such operation it is also likely that the bared ends of the conductors of the cable may become contaminated by grease or dirt and may be bent or otherwise deformed thus rendering it difficult to establish good electric connection therewith.

It is an object of the invention to provide for convenient holding and manipulating of the cable while laying out on'the floor of the entry and to prevent premature explosion of the charge as well as to facilitate connectionof the terminals of the conductors of the cable with a source of electric current and to guard against contamination and deformation thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims, it, of course, being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor detailsmay be made, within the scope ofthe'claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is an end view.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing the protective cap removed and an electric battery positioned in place thereof.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the protective cap.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises a polygonal fiat plate body member 1 having two of its opposite edges cut away or notched to receive and hold the coils of the cable 2 when wound thereon. Secured to the opposite side faces of the body member 1 and disposed in alignment transversely thereof is a pair of arms 3 and 4 extending outwardly and forming a handle member. A block 5 is disposed between and secured to the arms 3 and 4 by means of suitable fastenings with 2,756,400 Patented July 24, 1956 ice said arms extending outwardly beyond the block, A pair of conductors 6 and 7 is carried by and secured to the block 5 in fixed spaced relation with the opposite ends thereof extending outwardly of the block. I

To secure the conductors to the block 5 it is provided with a pair of longitudinal passages extending therethrough, each passage connected at the inner end of the block with a transverse groove leading outwardly therefrom. The conductors are disposed within said passages and fixed in position by a suitable cement or plastic material 8 surrounding the conductors and filling the passages. The outer projecting terminals 9 and 10 of the conductors 6 and 7 are located within the space between the arms 3 and 4 and are thus covered and protected from being bent or otherwise deformed. I

To protect the terminals 9 and 10 from accidental contact with a source of electrical current as well as from deformation and contamination, a removable cap 11 is provided normally positioned between the arms 3 and 4 in frictional engagement therewith and having sockets 12 and 13 receiving and covering said terminals.

A longitudinally arranged rib 14 is provided upon each of the opposite faces of the cap 11. I Each rib is seated and works in a complementary groove in the opposed inner face of one of the arms 3 and 4. This connection provides against lateral displacement of the cap with respect to the arms and facilitates the removal and replacement of the cap upon the terminals 9 and 10 by ensuring that the sockets in the cap will be aligned with said terminals. The cap is secured to the body member 1 by means of a flexible connection 15 to prevent loss of the cap when removed from its normal position be-.

tween the arms 3 and 4. Any well known quick detachable connection (not shown) may be provided to hold the cap in position covering the terminals 9 and 10.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, the cap 11 is provided with a shunt connection for the conductors of the cable to short circuit the same when the cap is in position covering the terminals thereof. The connection comprises a conductor 16 preferably of low resistance embedded in a suitable cement or plastic material 17 within a groove formed in the bottom of the cap 11 and extending between the sockets 12 and 13. Each of the opposite ends of the conductor 16 is extended and wound tightly around an adjacent socket.

In Figure 4 the terminals of the cable conductors are shown connected to a shot firing battery such as is now used in coal mine blasting operations having the usual type of female terminal connectors. The protector cap 11 has been removed and the battery substituted therefor with the conductor terminals connected to the battery for receiving current thereform.

When not'in use the cable 2 may be conveniently stored and handled by wrapping the same'aroun'd the body member 1 and at all times, except at the moment of firing, the protector cap 11 may be in position covering the terminals of the cable conductors and providing a short circuit therefor. When firing a charge the ends of the conductors 18 and 19 are suitably attached to the leg wires of the blasting cap and the cable is unwound from the body member 1 and laid out upon the floor of the entry to the point of firing at a safe distance from the point of explosion of the charge. The protector cap 11 together with the shunt connection is removed and replaced by the shot firing battery with the terminals of the cable conductors in electrical contact therewith and thus providing a current in the cable for exploding the charge.

It will be understood that when the cap 11 is provided with the shunt connection heretofore described, the sockets 12 and 13 are formed of electrically conductive material of low resistance such as copper and are constructed and arranged for electric contact with the terminals 9 and 10 er the conductors of ;tlr;-':;c :able. :Under such conditions l l :An end: structure: fer: electric cabies comprising a 1 sheutd' electric f current: enterthe a cable; iab anyf :point 1 o y m mber c nstituting? a: reel up n whichsaid, c ble throughout its length,- suchcurrent would pass ;throngh may: he aweunrba a pair of= spiacedi arms: extending ion he sockeea-ndathe shim-ti connection ildfifiiithfflilgh the w r lv from enersine of said reci and disposed in align blasting ca; theeventthat the cable 3 attachedto the merit transversely: thereof :ferrning a handiezand, a; pairof: can.= ln-ft reconnection in order itnl obtam geodconta'et 1 f conductors secured to: said: reei tin fixed spaced; relation between the ends; :ot; the; shunt: connection. 16 ands-the withcn end of ea he nd c crd sp in: thespa eb oclzets 12- and lgeachi socket is rovided with; anaannular we n i aid arms: and arranged for connection :with- :a r flange fifiiatzthbnter; end mhereofl and the Bands of; the o r e et:e1eetr;i u r n the opefi e nd of: c meos shunt 21 6 Earefwonnd; abnut the; soeketlbeneathsaid: flange u i r be ng ne i iene a d arra g d: f r? nnecticn :te The esp isprevidedwith aminwardlyz ta ered counter sai flablegand: azremo ablezshllnttconneetitm inthe space here 21 surrixdndingthess'ooket atns oaier end; Byvir tue tw en sa d a ms idging sa d fi stzmenticn di e du f of .t-his: construction during assembly of. =the..- parts the HIE e d I I 5, 5 Am end structur or electric cables: comprising; a

body member constituting; a; reel 1 upon which said :cabl

- .maybezwcund, :a pair of spaced armsextending outward 13y from; one side f said ICC]; and disposed: in alignment transversely thereof forming: a t handle and 2 a :pair of con ducto rs secured; to: saidgrieel. in fixed spaced reiatiio'n with vme: end of: ach nd c or; i p s d inth sp c be w en said; arms: and-arranged for connection; with; a source cf ec i cu r n h i ppc ite :ene zof E a h: c nductor ibe ne positioned arranged; for; connectinmto said cable; a movable protective; cap ;secured;.ibet\v een said: spaced 7 arms and covering :said first mentioned conducto endsi and;,a shunt; connection: carried by; said;cap; an bridging r t n i n d c nd c o n s: 1 f I '6; end structure :for electric; cables omprisinga i b dy emb r co s t t ng; e i upon :whi h sai c ble being positioned and arranged: for connection to: said i bq g ni -n. I i 2; An end structure: for electric cables comprising? a: :body membe constituting reel; neon; which: aid e hle .maybeweun I froin one isi cf of :sal eel :disposediinalifgiinrent trans- =ve rseiy thereof forming a handle and a pairiof conductors ecuredi to said Iree lf in fined spaced irel'ationiwith one end t eaieheonduetcr; d .pesee in the space hetween said i 1 ;d and arranged for; cenneeticgnwith a source. of; v electr cur opposite end of each eon, ctor heing positionedand angedgforeonneetion tqsaidcable an zr ma abl z r tecti e cap seemed in sev ring r i io.

a d; arrangedifor-eonnection to said? cable; and a semav 'ble prdte'ctive cap secured :betw een saidi spaced:

and meetings-sin first mentioned :eendnemr ends I f An end structure for electric cabis cbn tpi'isirrigj a i body member constituting a reel upon which said cable 0 may be wound, a pair of spaced arms extending outward- References Clted 111 the file'of fills Patent ly from one side of said reel, disposedin alignment trans- UNITED: S ATES PATENTS versely thereof forming a handle, each arm provided'lupon its inner face with a longitudinally arrangedgroove, 3. 1 giggf fi bo r pair of conductors secured to said reel in fixed spaced 1,978,510 Spence Oct. 30, 1934 relation with one end of each conductor disposed in the 1 978 572 Bad Oct 30 1934 space between said arms and arranged for connection 2407605 H ammond Sept. 10, 1946 with a source of electric current, the opposlte end of 2 561 Kenned Jul 1951 each conductor being positioned and arranged for con- 2660715 Glass y y 1953 nection to said cable, and a removable protective cap secured between said spaced arms and covering saidfirst FOREIGN PATENTS mentioned conductor ends and provided uponeach of its 645 795 opposite faces with a longitudinally disposed rib seated and working in the groove in the opposed inner face of one of said arms.

Great Britain Nov. 8, 1950' 

